Bad day at the office

[sewer rat]

Lost ten box customers over the last fortnight- all bitten by the gyo bug and their summer crops are ready - most have promised to return after the summer but I have my doubts about most of them.
Lost contract with local shop - they can get a wider selection from the local fruit and veg merchants - imported and non-organic but they don't seem to mind.
Last three Farmers Markets have been the worst I have ever had - not a lot of customers about for some reason
Feel like jacking it in

[smallblueplanet]

That's really c@rp SR. I do hope things get better soon. Don't give up, perhaps do what farmers have to do - diversify? Can you 'add value' in any way - make chutney's, jams, or so on? Could you do a PYO?

[shirlthegirl43]

Oh bother! Just when it was all looking so good.

Blame GYO for being such a good mag and making it look easy - it won't be long before they get fed up and come back to you.

If I wasn't so far away, I would order a weekly veg box from you coz I is rubbish at growing my own

[HeyWayne]

I'd go with manda - can you sell stuff on ebay or something similar? Widen your market/reach.

It seems that the recession/depression is far reaching.

Hope things pick up for you soon SR, don't give up dude - you're an inspiration to a lot of people, me included.

[SarzWix]

Any more restaurants/hotels you can pitch to? What about holiday cottages? If the owners could be persuaded (with a free box of veg?) to put a leaflet/card of yours on the info board in the cottage you might get orders from holiday-makers over the summer?
Do you have an 'ordinary' market place (as opposed to a farmers market) where you could get a stall? What about agricultural shows etc, do they have stalls?

The veg plug plant market seems to be a growing one, perhaps you could do some of that next year?

I hope you manage to find a way through Rat, you've worked so hard As Wayne says, you're an inspiration to lots of us.
Hugs and prayers chick xxx

[dexterdoglancashire]

You can't jack it all in mate. You do a b****y good job and your customers (and us here on the Vine) know how good you are. Sometimes things do take downturn. Keep your pecker up chuck! Things will improve.

[FionaH]

Really hope things get better soon, lots of good suggestions above too

[taff]

No helpful suggestions for other outlets, but you're certainly one of my inspirations...

[di]

Hope things pick up again for you soon SR...like others have said,you're an inspiration to a lot of us.x

[BFG]

What about local resturants? The posh ones seem to have jumped on the bandwagon and would probably pay good money for high quality, local, organic fruit and veg.

You can imagine it being a real selling point amongst the new middle class wannabe (seen to be) green'ers.

[bobleponge]

Nothing I can add except my very best wishes SR. You have worked so hard to get it all up and running, you deserve it to work.

[rana]

A recent TV program about food shopping habits stated that the organic food market has shrunk by 10% during the recession. I buy far less food in the summer but will be back to the shops in autumn as the home produce dries up. Hopefully your customers will do the same.

[Seahorse]

Really sorry things aren't going so well SR. I'm not sure I know anyone who works harder at raising so many veg and looking after so much growing space than you do, you really deserve to have things work out. Everything crossed that things pick up again asap.

[Two_Sheds]

A recent TV program about food shopping habits stated that the organic food market has shrunk by 10% during the recession.

Yes, I saw that too.
Round here, you can't give veg away ... unless it's washed, bagged, frozen and covered in deep-fried breadcrumbs

[Polly Fouracre]

I hope things pick up for you soon. I buy what veg. I don't grow from a stall at a car-boot sale. They seem to do pretty well, that may be worth a try.